NUL launches new Civil Rights Movement

(NNPA) – “Based on the evidence of intentional racial discrimination … as well as the history of pervasive voting-related discrimination against racial minorities … we believe that the state of Texas should be required to go through a preclearance process whenever it changes its voting laws and practices,” stated Attorney General Eric Holder at the 2013 National Urban League Conference

During four days in Philadelphia, more than 6,000 people came together for our 2013 National Urban League Conference – “Redeem the Dream: Jobs Rebuild America.” In the city that is the cradle of American democracy, in the town where Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and, later, John Legend and The Roots both sang, Wake Up Everybody, we called for a new Civil Rights Movement. Fifty years after the March on Washington, we came to Philadelphia to redeem Dr. King’s dream and to stand our ground against those who would turn back the clock on voting rights, equal justice, opportunity parity, jobs, and a host of other old and new civil rights challenges.

A highlight of the conference was the surprise announcement by Attorney General Eric Holder that in light of the Supreme Court’s recent decision to invalidate Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department will ask a federal court in Texas to use Section 3 of the act to require the state to obtain pre-approval before instituting future voting changes. Section 3 is the “bail-in” provision of the Voting Rights Act that allows federal courts to require any state that has been identified as engaging in “intentional” voting rights discrimination to undergo preclearance before those changes go into effect.

Prior to the Supreme Court’s decision, the Justice Department had blocked clearly discriminatory redistricting and voter ID changes proposed by Texas. Immediately after the ruling, the state vowed to reinstitute those changes. Federal court action could now prevent that from happening. The attorney general added, “This is the department’s first action to protect voting rights following the Shelby County decision, but it will not be our last.” This was welcome news to the NUL, our conference attendees and every American who understands the importance of protecting our democracy and the precious right to vote.

The next day, Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin, bravely took the conference stage to share her grief over the death of her son and to appeal for the repeal of “a law that has prevented the person who shot and killed my son to be held accountable, and to pay for this awful crime.” The National Urban League has previously called upon and commended the Department of Justice for efforts towards a thorough federal criminal civil rights investigation to determine whether any federal laws were violated by George Zimmerman in connection with the death of Martin. We also joined with President Obama, the attorney general, and others in supporting a review – and rejection – of the unconscionable Stand Your Ground laws that are contributing to needless violence and homicides in our communities.